Students protest Tory plan to uncap tuition fees

Premier Brian Pallister and hisgovernment continued to defend a plan to remove the cap on tuition fee increases for Manitoba's post-secondary institutions as university students protested the move outside the legislatureThursday.

The government introduced legislationin March that would allow for tuition hikes of five per cent plus the rate of inflation annually. If enacted, the legislation, known as Bill 31, wouldgo into effect starting inthe 2018-2019 school year.

"On our campuses there are already students who are struggling to pay for tuition, for food, for rent an increase to tuition will slam the door shut for hundreds if not thousands of students who can not afford the cost," said University of Winnipeg Students' Association president Laura Garinger in a speech in front of those gathered for the rallyat the legislature.

"It will slam the door for post-secondary education for those who seek it in the future."

When the bill was introduced in the springEducation Minister Ian Wishart said the tuition hike which is supported by post-secondary institutions is needed to allow schools to hire better professors and offer better quality education.

Manitoba has the lowest tuition rates in Western Canada and Wisharthas said universities and colleges will berequired to maintain average tuition rates lower than those in other western provinces or risk having their provincial grants cut.

Pallister defends the plan

Pallister defended the proposed tuition hikes when speaking to reporters after Question Period on Thursday.

He said other changes his government is making or has planned including raising the basic personal tax exemption and theirpromise to lower the PST will leave students with more money in their pockets to help cover the costs of post-secondary education.

He also said an increase in funding for the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative announced by the Tories in March shows the government is supporting students.

"It's a program that will, once fully subscribed, quintuple the amount of money available to young people who need that help in scholarships and bursaries," he said.

Carlen Comegan-Ronke, Manitoba chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students,says the changes to the bursary program will not make up for the proposed five per cent tuition hike.

"Obviously tuition fee increases are not good, because, as it is, it's hard for students to afford education," she said after Thursday's rally. She also saidthe fact Manitoba has the lowest tuition rates in Western Canada doesn't mean the rates should be raised. "It's a selling point to keep students here, but if students are seeing a rise in tuition fees, what's stopping them from leaving the province?"

Pallister says his government will do an "ongoing analysis" of enrolment data from post-secondary institutions in Manitoba going forward and didn't rule scrapping the hike in the futureif it appears to be affecting enrollment numbers.

Tuition rates are currently capped in Manitoba and tied to the annual rate of inflation.

NDP leader Wab Kinew has said Bill 31 would be reversed if his party is elected back into power.